Automatic train-pipe connector.



D. B. MCTAGGART. AUTOMATIC TRAXN PIPE COIHIEG'IOFt APPUGATION YILBD OUT.7, 1912.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Inventor r I l Atto rn'eys D. B. MOTAGGART. AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIVPECONNECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.7,1912,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

NN N Attorneys UNITED STATES PATENT OEE-iron.

DANIEL Bf M'CIAGGART, OF BUTT, MONTANA, ASSIGNB OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAMH. OODRUFF` OF BUTTE. MONTANA.

` AUTOMATIC TRAIN-PIPE CONNECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Api'. 28, i914.

nppiicanon filed october 7, i912, serial No. 724,415.

l'o all 'ic/'mm it may'co'ncem:

VBe it knoivn that I, DASH-:L B."i\'IoT.\G o iirr, ay Citizen' of theUnited States, residing at Butte'. iii the county of Silver Bow andState of Montana, have invented ay new and useful Automatic Train-PipeConnectoixyof which the following is a. specification. The presentinvention relates to improvements iii-automatic train pipe connectors,the primar)y object of the inventionbeing the provision of a connectorfor train pipe and electrical connect-ions upon passenger trains andvair-brake pipe. connections upon freight traiiis, the present inventionbeing readily applied to cars now in use, without the discardingl of thepresent equipments, and also being' so constructedfasim permit cars notequipped ivith the present connector io he. manually connected thereto.

.\ further object tx'ejpmsent invention is the provisio' ofnieans.whereby should,

the eontinuitiv of the ainhrake system become broken or separated `due,t0 theV breakingr ot a .knucli'le-joint or pi'nof a coupler, 0r thetalliner ot a coupler, the system will be graduali;v vented. so that noemergencr will result, but thetraln will be brought; to a gradual stopat its rear end, while the torward end ivill be under the control of theengineman.

still Afurther object ot lghe present. invention is tle provision of atrain pipe connector` which is supported to the knuckle joint of a varcoupler by means of' the knucklop-in. ivliich permits ot' oasi and quickinstallation ot the present. device. without the; necessity ofplat-fiile'` the car in a shop. the. installation hcing so simple. as topermit the adjust-nient and attachment, of the device. hile the car isin daily use.

still Further object of' the present in ventina isy the provision of atrain pipe. connector carried bi.' the car-coupler and so mounted as tohe brought into registration ivhcu non-nliniupy car-couplers, dilo tothe varyingr loadl conditions of the cars, are. brought together. the.train pipe porte of the coniicctrrrs beiner brought primarily togetherlwfnnefthe car-coniilers engiige; the final" eii- ,r 'fonte-nt Aof thecar-couplersmoving the connector ine'nbers from :in in'iliiied posiltionto a i'ie'ht-angle'and inlocked position to insure the non-leakage ofthe connector ports, and the closure of the .main valves.

Vith the.-.foregoinB-ail' other objects in vieiv, ivhich ivill appearas; the description proceeds, ,the invention resides 1n the conibinationand arrangement of p ai'ts and `in the details ot construction'hereinafter described and claimed', it. being' understood that changesin the precise embodimentot the invention herein disclosed can be made.within the scope ot' what claimed Without del'iarting troni the spiritot' the invention. A In ihc accompanying drawings-.ltigiire l is a topplan view ot' tivo abutting car-couplers with thi` present connectormembers in their initial connecting position, dotted'lines illustratingtheir final locked position. Fi?. 2 is a side elevation of the same.Fig. 3 a top planvieiv of one Vconnector member connected to anothermember, which is shown in horizontal section on line 3 3 of Fig. 4.Fig'. 4 is a view in side elevation of one connector member ivith theother shown in section taken on line. 471 of Fig. 3. vFig. 5 is asectional view taken through the ,ported portion of a passengerequipment.

Fig. t3 is a cross section showing the valve of the aiiliralie in closedand venting position.

Referring to the drawings, tlie'letters A. and B. designate the twocar-couplers, which are, 0i" usual construction and are each providedwith a knuckle-pin l, the respective mating train pipe connector membersC and l), being carried tlierebiv and for limited swinging horizontalnn'weiiieiit, as will presentl'v appear; .\s cach connector member isidentical ivith the other the. description of one. will .suiiicefoi-'both` and in ordei' t0 describe the. simplest fembodiinent, avfreight train equipment. ivill be described first, and

in which only the air-brake connection is carried.

Each connector member comprises the Casl havingr the knuckle-pin fittingapertures "1'. and provided with a socket 3, at. the. end of which the.spring centering and holding knob at. Vfor retaining,r one. exid'of theprojectingA spring whose outer end fits upon the centering knob (l ofthe Vslidable shank 7. lthis shank 7 is provided with the elongated slotwhich tits about therpin l, and thu`V permitsl the necessary slidingmovement to the shank T. This shank 7 carries or has toriued integraltherewith, a collectiifgf head composed of the lug; il of relativelygreat. width and having' the inclined outer face l() and with thesn'aler finger 1l iii spaced ri'fatioiixto tliecliig'g', the

guide armor the. arrows, Fig. 3, and through the port 1G, forme' in theinner face of the lug 9, and in co-active relation to a similar port ofthe mating connector. A venting port 17 is provided, so that.the.escaping air atthe initial uneoupling and disconnecting of themating connector members 'will not blow the 'port rings a out of place,and in order to control these ports, a disk valve`18 is provided.This'disk valve 1S is carried by the screw 19, guided through a spider20, mounted in the bore 21, the head 22 of the valve 18 being heldoutwardly with the disk valve 18 closed by means of the coiled spring'23, all as clearly shown in Fig, 3. This head 22 is actuated to bemoved beyond the outer face of the lug 9, and in the ath to be abuttedby the inclined inner llico 11 of the finger guide 11, which upon itsfirst engagement, and before the final registration of the mating ports16, (will. move the plunger 22 inwardly 'to unseat the valve 18 and'thus permit a .slight leakage from the portv or channel 15 through thebore .Q1 to the atmosphere,l thusrelieving the initial impact of the airso that the ports a. `will not be blown from their seats either at thefirst mating or the final unmating ot the ports of two connectors. W'henthe mating ports are in registration, the depressed portion of theA-face 11', permits the spring 23 to move the head 22 outwa'dly and thusclose the valve 1S and proven. `akage through the coupled connector atth? point.

A valve Z4 1s carried by the lng 13, and

, is to close the channel 15, the same being provided with the port Q5,and with the two venting ports 26 and 2, the port't' being disposed toregister with the vent port QS,

as shown in Fig. t', when the valve 2l is moved lo close the channel 15,while the vent port 2T is 1n registration with .the -venlnlg channel orport 29 in the lng 13, both of the ports 2S andlf) being' open throughthe lug 1? to the atmosphere, and providingr a venting means for theconnector should an accident happen that would cause the hinting membersto suddenlyv separate, thevalve 2l being moved from its proper openposition,

when the connectors are properly mated asA shown in Fig. 3', to `the.position shown in Fig. G. The valve 94 illustrated is operatedautomatically, the inner end 32 of the lei-'er 531 thereof, beingdisposed to be en gaged by the inclined outer face 10 of the oppositecormector when the parts are moved to the position, as shown in Fig. f3,and t ns forced aw'vay therefrom, vso as lo place the ort of the valvein the position shown in the. sectional portion of the Fig, 3, so thatproper communication is had the train pipe. By this means the air-brakesystem is not too suddenly vented, but the rear see` tion of the trainis brought to a gradual stop While the engineman is permitted fullcontrol of the forward section of the train and can proceed a safedistance before being stopped.

The valve 24 has a stem 30, upon which is attached a bell-crank lever31, the inner end 32 of which is disposed to* be engaged by the outerface 10 of a mating connector member, -which holds such valve 24 in theposition as shown in Fig. 3, a spring 33 bein@r employed to return thevalve to the-position as shown in Fig. 6, when the connectors disengage,either purposely or accidentally.

The end 34 of the bell-crank lever has connected thereto a pull chain35, which is accessible to a trainman, who may pull the cord to rotatethe valve 24 from the position as sl'iown in Fig.6 to that shown in Fig,I5,

and to thus relieve the air pipes of the car from the air-pressure.

In order to properly support each connector member, and also to providea means which will insure the proper registrationof the mated members,should the car-coupiers be out of horizontal alinement, due to ried bythe car-coupler is the spring plate 38, whose inclined head 39 isdisposed to be engaged by the end 40 of the mating carcoupler to bedepressed to engage the upper face of the`member Q, and thus movel theconnector member carried .by the same carcoupler as the spring 38 to bemoved down-l wardly and-into alinemenl' vrith the mating connectormember, so that when the connectors first lmeet they will be in theposi'- tion, as shown in Fig." 1, to `be moved to the full horizontal,or dotted positiom' when the car-couplers have coupled. The spring isalso so anchored as to move the con nector member from 'the dotted tothe full line position when the connectors disengage, TWherethe.,lmuckle-pins` are too short 'to properly apply this connector, ayoke 41 is employed .and H .tsupon the lower shouldered end lfof the pin1, and thus retains the connector member from downward -disi upper one42 being the electrical connection,

the next port '43 being the air signal port. the next port-44 being theairbrake port. While the lowei'most port 4.5 is -the steam heating port.By disposing the steam port lowermost, the liability ol' the valve inthe connections.

As'noted,the lower end of the pin 1 at 1 its made square incross-section, and upon i ment, but having a square aperture. is heldagainst rotation. Upon the under face of this disk are radial ribs 49which are disposed to register with the radial recesses upon the raisedportion 5() of the casing L. The spring plate 38 is about the pin 1above the disk 48 and therefore is moved upon the upper face of the disk48 to move the casing downwardly against its springr 37. and as the ribs49 register with the recesses of the portion 50, the easing 2 is heldrictionally against accidental oscillation, thus insuring the properco-active relation between mating connector members when their carryingcar-couplers are moved into coupled relation. The release of thecarcouplers as will be noted from this structure simultaneously permitsof the automatic re lease. of the mated connector members, and theconsequent closure of the valve Q4.

What is claimed. is:

1. The combination with a car-coupler. of atrain pipe connector,having.r a soclteted casing mounted for swingingr movement vupon theknuckle-pin ot' the car-couplet. a

collector member having' a shank slidably mounted upon the knuckle-pinwithin the y sockcted casing.- a spring for holding the coll lectormember projected. and means yt moving the collector member for alinct tI.' with a mating: collector member. such mcans being actuated by thecollecting` of two mating ear-couplers.

Q. The combination with a car-coupler. ol a train pipe, connector.havingasockcted casing mounted t'or vertical slidingr and horizontalswinging movement below the carcoupler. a spring for holding! the casingto Ward the car-coupler. a spring' projected col lector member carriedby the casing. and means engaging' the casina' and carried by thecar-coupler to insure the horizontal registration of mating collectormembers when two car-couplers mate, the said means being actuated by thematingcar-couplers as they move together.

3. 'lheeombinat'ion with a cai'coi1plei. ofN a train pipe connector.havingr a casing mounted for vertical slidingr and horizontal wringing'movements upon the lower cod oli tin'- linnclilc-pin oll tio'-carccupltr, a spring.' tor ,lioldineel` the casing; tovvartl Il c carcoupler mounted upon the kmh alcl pin. a spring' ivrojccted poricarrying' and collector mcntlicr mounted in thc cus ing' and heldagainst too lar projection by thtl ltnucltltepin. and means toralining;l mating;A members carried by thc car-coupler and upon theknuckle-piu above the casing'. said means being' actuated by the mating!car-coupler as the car-couplers move together.

4. The combination with a car-coupler. ol' a train pipe (.tonnector.havingr a casingr mounted for \crtical sliding and horizoic talswinging.r movements upon the lower cnd ot the ltnuclilc-pin otl thecalwccmplcr. a spring for holding..r the casingr toward the car-couplerbody, a. port carrying and hosepipe connecting member mounted in thecasY ine'. a spring' tor holdinpr said member r o jected. said memberbeing' provided vvith lluid conducting'channel therethrough.and a valvefor controllingt said channel. said valve being automaticallyr opened asthe two mating connecting members unite and closed when they separate.

5. The combination with a car-coupler. ol' a train piptI connector.including a carrying' member mounted tor vertical .sliding andhorizontal s\vin;in; r movements upon the ltnucltlepin ot' thecarcouplcr. a rt carrying; and collector member mouuto., iii thecarrviug member. a spring' vtor normally holding' the last memberprojected. said port carrying and collector member being' provided witha lluid conducting channel in comnmnication with the port and the trainpipe of the car, a valve mounted in said channt. j'or cortrolling thepassage ot liuid therethrough. and means connected to the valve and theport carrving and collector' member for opening' thc valve when twoconnectors mate and for closing the valve when they separate. i

t3. The. combination vv ith a car-coupler. olA a train pipe connector.including a carrying' member mounted 'lor vertical sliding;r andhorizontal swingingr movements upon the knuckle-pin ot the car coupler,a spring),` for holding the member toward the carlcoupler. a portcarrying: and collector member slidably mounted in the carnvil'igmember. a sprint?r t'or holdin;r the last member projected. and n *anscarriedby the car-coupler and for engagement with a mating car-couplerfor movingr the carrying member against its springr to aline the portcarrying: and collecting' member with a mating collector as the twocar-couplers unite.

7. A train pipe connector fo.' attachment to the knuckle-pin of acar-coupler, including a carrying member. a spring projected head havingcollecting portions and a cl1an` nel therethrough having beeding ventslezumf 'imony thm daim he m'egwng in mg therefrom to h@ atmosphere, andan M+ my mw J have hereto affixed by 5:, l1-miur@ mllatm-y valve furcwm'ro ge m Hiv. v fnv@ of twv wrlinvssesfz of Huid through the Channeland inn u pum i0 auch bleedmg vent. und for regzk-:iraf

